Victory for boaters as moorings stay the same

Plans to change moorings along the canal in Berkhamsted and Marsworth have been thrown out after four in five people said they were against the proposals.

The Canal and River Trust ran a consultation on plans to slash the 14-day mooring restrictions to as little as two days in places.

But 80 per cent of the 789 Berkhamsted respondents and 75 per cent of the 688 Marsworth respondents  opposed the changes.

The most popular comment, echoed by 99 people, was that the changes would ‘negatively impact on boaters by reducing the places they could moor’.

The proposals were said to have a ‘negative impact on local business’.

Matthew Symonds, the trust’s strategy and engagement manager, said the consultation was justified because people had ‘very strong opinions’ about moorings.

The proposed restrictions in Berkhamsted and Marsworth will not be introduced but there will be some ‘smaller changes’ on a trial basis, monitored for a year.

There will be a four-hour stop and shop mooring by Berkhamsted Waitrose between 7am and 9pm, and the winding hole close to Berkhamsted station will be signed as ‘no mooring’.

And a short section of towpath, adjacent to the dry dock between bridge 141 and lock 54, will be signed ‘no mooring’.